TORONTO — An Ontario Liberal member of provincial parliament says she is planning to resign her seat in order to run in the Toronto mayoral race.
Mitzie Hunter, who has represented Scarborough-Guildwood since 2013 and is a former education minister, says she is preparing to formally declare a mayoral bid next week.
She would have to resign her provincial seat this spring in order to run, but she says she is “in it to win it.”
That would cut the leaderless Ontario Liberal caucus from eight to seven.
Hunter had also until recently been mulling a second run at the party leadership, but decided to bow out and focus on a move to municipal politics.
She says Toronto is at a critical moment and the city needs fresh, new leadership.
The nomination period for the mayor’s race is expected to open on April 3, with a byelection expected on June 26, but several other contenders have already declared their intention to run.
People eyeing Toronto’s top job include city councillor Josh Matlow, former police chief Mark Saunders, former deputy mayor Ana Bail?o, former city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, former Toronto Sun columnist Anthony Furey and recent mayoral also-ran Gil Penalosa.
City councillor Brad Bradford hasn’t officially announced a bid but is also expected to run.
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